Loyalties
by Seth Bramwell
Summary: Hi everyone... This was my 1st fanfic.. It deals with Misty discovering a secret about her past and betraying Ash in favor of TR as the result. R/R if you can! Thanks!


Disclaimer: All Pokemon characters are copyrighted by Nintendo. No permissions have   
been given to use their names. Exceptions: The characters of Chief Scientist Evans and   
Pokemon trainers Jenni and Allan are my creations.   
  
Loyalties  
  
By Allan North  
  
Chapter One: The Betrayal  
  
"This is ridiculous, Ash.", Misty said as the group trudged through the forest.   
"How many times can one person get so lost, anyway?"   
  
"Gimmie a break, Misty." Ash replied. "I haven't heard you throwing out any   
great directions, you know."  
  
"Around you, it's a wonder I have any sense of direction left at all anymore",   
Misty grumbled. Behind her she heard a snicker. Brock always found it amusing when   
Ash and Misty would argue about where they were going, as it just happened so often.   
Misty turned to face him with an annoyed look on her face. "And I suppose you know   
where we are?"   
  
Brock couldn't resist. "Of course I do." he replied. Reaching behind him into his   
knapsack, he pulled out a map with a flourish. "According to this map, the position of   
the stars last night, the position of the sun, and my calculations, I would say that we are   
definitely.... in a forest... on the planet depicted on this map." Brock fell over laughing at   
his own joke. Ash groaned, and Pikachu just looked at Brock with an exasperated "Chu."  
Misty, however, failed to see the humor in the situation, and she showed it quite   
clearly when she calmly rolled up Brock's map and used to hit him over the head. Brock   
stood up half laughing and half apologizing to Misty, who still maintained a look of   
annoyance.   
  
"OK, OK," Brock said, becoming serious again, "We just left Cerulean City...."  
  
"Don't remind me" Misty muttered, remembering the teasing she'd gotten at the   
hands of her sisters about how she and Ash should become an item, of all things.  
  
"And we were heading for Saffron city.... We've been traveling for about one and   
a half days... we're about here", he said, pointing to a spot on the map between the two   
cities.   
  
"So the best thing to do is stop discussing it and keep moving." Ash said   
impatiently. "I want to get to Saffron City before Gary does. It's the key to earning my   
next badge."  
  
Brock nodded. "Ash is right. We've just got to keep moving if we want to get   
Saffron City by...." He stopped suddenly.   
  
"What is it, Brock?" Misty asked.  
  
"I think I heard something in the trees." Brock said, looking around.   
  
Ash's ears perked up and the sound of Brock's words. "Whoa, maybe it's a   
Pokemon!" he said excitedly. He reached in his pocket and pulled out Dexter. he opened   
the cover and pointed Dexter's sensor at the trees.   
  
"No Pokemon detected in area." Dexter said repeatedly as Ash pointed the   
Pokedex at various trees, searching for new Pokemon to catch. Suddenly, he heard the   
rustling coming from the branches above him. He spun around quickly, and pointed   
Dexter at the trees. Dexter's chime sounded, and a familiar Pokemon appeared on the   
screen.   
  
"Meowth." Dexter stated. "This catlike Pokemon...." Ash snapped the case shut.   
  
"Meowth?" Brock repeated. "But that could only mean...."  
  
Brock's words were interrupted as the trio heard the familiar voices ring out from   
the tree tops: "Prepare for trouble!"  
  
"Make it double!"   
  
"To protect the world from devastation..." Jessie began. Ash groaned and rolled   
his eyes. How often could Team Rocket find them, anyway? He squinted at the trees,   
trying to spot the familiar forms of their enemies. Brock glared at the trees, his fists   
clenching. Pikachu remained perched on Ash's shoulder as he muttered angrily,   
"Pika....."  
  
Only Misty seemed overly concerned, wordlessly backing up behind Brock.  
  
"....extend our reach to the stars above." James said.  
  
"Jessie!" Jessie said, as she leapt to the ground with a flourish.  
  
"James!" James added, landing next to Jessie.  
  
"Team Rocket, blast off at the speed of light!"   
  
"Surrender now or prepare to fight!"  
  
"Meowth! That's right!" chimed in Meowth, as he landed in front of Jessie and   
James wearing a small parachute with a big red "R" on it.  
  
Ash looked at Team Rocket with a look of casual boredom on his face. "Look,   
guys, we've been walking for a couple days and we're not really up to a big thing right   
now...."  
  
"Shut up, you little twerp!" Jessie shouted at Ash. "You know what we're here   
for."  
  
"It's pointless to try to resist." James added, absentmindedly sniffing a rose he   
seemed to have produced out of nowhere.  
  
"You guys just don't get it, do you?" Ash snapped. "For the last time, YOU   
CAN'T HAVE PIKACHU!"  
  
James looked angrily at Ash, turning his attention from his rose for the first time   
since he'd landed on the ground. "Then we'll just have to battle you for it."  
  
Brock folded his arms and laughed. "Yeah right." he said with a grin. This won't   
take long. Will it, Misty?" It was then that Brock noticed that Misty was standing behind   
him.   
  
"Uh, right. not long at all." Misty said with a nervous chuckle. Ash looked at   
her strangely. Was Misty actually afraid of these two clowns? After all they'd been   
through and all the times they had defeated Team Rocket?  
  
Ash's thought was broken as he realized that Jessie and James were drawing their   
Pokeballs. Jessie threw hers into the air. "Arbok, go!" The large cobra-like creature   
appeared instantly.   
  
"Arrrrrboook!" it hissed.  
  
James threw his Pokeball into the air. "Weezing, go!" he cried.  
  
The poison gas Pokemon appeared and said in a high-pitched rumble,   
"Weeeezing!"  
  
"Weezing! Sludge attack!" James ordered, pointing his gloved hand at Pikachu.   
Weezing hovered around Pikachu and shot a stream of black sludge into Pikachu's eyes.   
Pikachu was too stunned to respond.  
  
Brock's fighting instincts kicked in as Ash looked nervously at Pikachu. Throwing   
a Pokeball, he cried, "Geodude, I choose you!"   
  
The rock Pokemon appeared in midair. Jessie glared at it, and said with a sneer,   
Arbok! Wrap attack!" Arbok shot forward rapidly and wrapped itself around Geodude's   
small body. The Pokemon tried to fight back, but it was no match for the strength in   
Arbok's coils.   
  
"Geodude!" Brock cried, looking as worried as Ash did about Pikachu.  
  
"Misty!" Ash cried. "Quick! You've got to call out Staryu or Starmie or   
something!"   
  
Misty looked at Ash with a blank expression. "I- I can't." She replied. James   
shot an evil smile at Jessie, and she returned it with a barely hidden chuckle.  
  
Ash couldn't believe his ears. "What do you mean you can't!" he snapped. "You   
have to!"  
  
"No, she doesn't." Jessie said with a smile. "Very nice work, Misty"   
  
Ash and Brock's faces fell. What did they just hear Jessie say?  
  
"Indeed." James added, clapping his hands together.  
  
"Misty, what are they talking about?" Ash asked, looking at her.  
Misty's eyes began to water with tears. She reached to the bottom of her yellow   
halter top and pulled it over her head to reveal a white tank top underneath.... with a big   
red "R" stitched onto the fabric.  
  
Pikachu, just barely recovering from the sludge attack, got his sight back and   
saw Misty in the tank top. "Pika!" He cried, and feel backward from shock.  
  
"That's right." Jessie said, grinning ear to ear. "Guess who's been playing on our   
side without you realizing it?"  
  
Ash was dumbfounded. "But.. how.... I.... Who...." he stammered.   
  
"Oh come on." James taunted. "Surely you must have suspected something."  
  
"Really." added Meowth. "The world's a very big place, ya know. Didn't you   
ever wonder how we always knew where you were?"  
  
Ash paused. He never had given it much thought, but he had also never figured   
that there was a traitor, a spy in their midst. All he could do was look at Misty sadly and   
ask, "Why?"  
  
Misty returned the sad look and said quietly, "You wouldn't understand, Ash.   
I'm sorry."   
  
Brock shot an angry look at Team Rocket's newest member, and snarled at Jessie   
and James, "Either way, you're not going to win. You're never getting Pikachu."   
  
"We already have." Jessie sneered. Pikachu had nearly rubbed all of Weezing's   
sludge out of his eyes, and James could tell he was getting ready to do a thundershock,   
only awaiting Ash's word.   
  
Before Ash could recover enough to blurt out the word that would send Team   
Rocket blasting off again, James quickly yelled, "Weezing! Sludge attack again!"   
Weezing shot another stream of sludge into Pikachu's eyes as Jessie ran back to the   
balloon and produced a large glass mason jar with a black rubber stopper.   
  
"Pikachu! No!" Ash cried as he charged toward Team Rocket. James scoffed,   
and pulled a small grenade off of his belt. He pulled the pin, tossed it in the air and   
quickly covered his mouth. Jessie did the same, and Meowth ran over to Misty to give   
her a rag to cover her mouth with.   
  
The grenade released a large green cloud of smoke, and Ash could feel himself   
getting weaker as she and Brock breathed the gas and fell to the ground. He could barely   
keep his eyes open as Jessie and Misty stepped forward, still covering their mouths with   
one hand, and scooped Pikachu into the jar. James shoved the stopper into place tightly,   
blocking any potential electric attacks from the little lightning mouse. The smoke started   
to clear, and Ash and Brock fought desperately to keep their eyes open as Jessie, James,   
Misty, and Meowth quickly climbed into the hot air balloon and lifted off, laughing   
maniacally all the way. Out of the corner of his eye, Ash noticed Misty's back pack lying   
by the rock where she had been hiding behind Brock when it had all started. He looked up   
into the sky as the balloon disappeared from sight. And with that, the world went black   
as his head fell to the ground and he and Brock were knocked out.  
  
Chapter Two: The Letter  
  
Brock gently shook Ash to bring him around. He had just woken up, thinking   
what had happened to just be a terrible dream, but then realized it hadn't been when he   
saw Misty's back pack still there and Pikachu gone. Ash's eyes slowly started to open,   
and he looked up at Brock groggily. Ash smiled at the sight of his friend. "Are you OK,   
Ash?" Brock asked.  
  
Ash sat up. "Yeah, but I had the worst nightmare." he began. Brock bit his lip,   
unsure of how to break the news to Ash. "I dreamt that Misty was a spy for Team   
Rocket, and that she helped Jessie and James steal Pikachu, and-" Ash looked around   
frantically. "Oh, my God! Where's Pikachu?" He looked desperately at Brock, praying   
he'd say Pikachu was in the next clearing.   
  
Brock's expression told Ash the truth. Ash buried his face in his hands. "Oh,   
Pikachu...." he sobbed. "How could Misty do this to us?"   
  
"I don't know." Brock replied. He had no idea what else to say.  
  
Ash continued to cry as images of Pikachu flashed through his mind. Slowly, his   
sadness gave way to anger. "She thinks so clever.... That little.... I'm gonna get her....   
and get Pikachu back...." He began to mutter through clenched teeth, his eyes narrowing   
in anger and hate.   
  
Brock scowled and tried to think about the situation. "It doesn't make any sense,   
Ash... Misty's been with us a long time. Why would she suddenly turn on us?"  
  
"Remember what Meowth said? He said 'How did we always know where you   
were'. That means Misty's been a spy for as long as we've known her." Ash replied.  
  
"But if that's the case, then why didn't she ever help them before?" Brock asked.   
"That's what I can't figure out."  
  
Ash had to admit that he, too, was stumped by that fact. "When I asked Misty   
why, she said I wouldn't understand. Why would she say that?" Ash asked.  
  
They stared at the ground for a minute, thinking. Suddenly, they looked at each   
other, and then over at the blue back pack lying on the ground. "Do you think the answer   
could be in there?" Ash asked.   
  
"One way to find out." Brock said as he walked over and picked up the back   
pack. He set it on the ground between himself and Ash, and looked over at Ash. "Care   
to do the honors?" he asked.   
  
Ash's hand reached out and opened the zipper holding the backpack. One by one,   
they started to remove the items from the backpack and lay them out on the ground.  
  
Soon, the back pack was empty, and Misty's items were neatly laid out on the   
grass. The objects included: 4 Pokeballs (containing Goldeen, Starmie, Staryu, and   
Psyduck), a hairbrush, extra hair bands, a change of clothes, a bag of Brock's   
doughnuts (left over from the last meal they had eaten as friends), an envelope that simply   
read, "Misty" in fancy cursive script, and a few photos of her sisters and her mother.   
Ash and Brock mulled over the objects, not getting any clues. "What's in the envelope?"   
Ash asked.   
  
"I don't know." Brock answered. "I just pulled it out and laid it down." He   
reached for the envelope, and pulled out a letter written in the same handwriting as the   
writing on the envelope. He started to read it, and his normally tight eyes opened wide.   
  
Ash noticed this, and looked at Brock. "What is it? What does it say?" he asked.  
  
"It's from Misty's mother." Brock replied.   
  
Ash looked surprised. "But isn't Misty's mother...."  
  
"Dead. Yes." Brock said simply, his eyes still wide from the contents of the   
letter.   
  
"Well, what does it say?" Ash asked, more than a little intrigued. Brock handed   
him the letter without a word, and Ash began to read.  
  
My Dearest Misty,  
  
If you are reading this letter, then I have passed on and your sisters have   
done as I have asked them to do. This letter contains a secret that I have told no   
one but your father through the years. You are one of the very few people who will   
know of it.   
  
Misty, I am sure you have noticed through your life that you are not quite   
like your sisters. Though you are every bit as beautiful, your beauty runs differently   
from theirs, as does your way of thinking. This is not without reason. The man you   
always called father was not your real father. Years ago, after I gave birth to your   
sister Daisy, I was traveling through Viridian City to gather supplies for the   
family gym in our hometown of Cerulean City. During my brief stay in the city, I   
met a Pokemon trainer new to the city and I'm afraid we got along too well.   
  
When I returned to Cerulean City, I tried to hide what I had done, but   
when I realized I was pregnant, I confessed to your father. After some time, he   
was able to forgive me. I knew I could never get rid of the baby inside of me, and I   
had you, swearing never to tell your sisters the entire story or love you any less for   
it. After you were born, I traveled to Viridian City to tell your real father of your   
birth. There, I found that he had become a gym leader. He was surprised to see me   
again, and was very surprised to hear of your birth. He agreed to not interfere with   
our family situation, but asked to be sent news of you each year. Secretly, your   
father and I sent letters to him each year. When your father died two years later,   
he asked me to keep the information going to your real father so that he may still   
know you. Both your fathers, real and adoptive, loved you, even though I know   
you have only met one of them.  
  
My dear daughter, I can only imagine how this letter must be hitting you.   
I am so very sorry that I could never tell you the truth while I was alive. All I can   
promise you is that I have always adored and loved you as much as any of your   
sisters, and that your adoptive father has always done the same. We never treated   
you any differently from your sisters, and never would. There is a companion to   
this letter that will be sent out to your real father around the time you receive yours.   
I have not told your sisters what is in either letter, and they have been instructed to   
see it through as my last wish. Whether or not you tell them will be your choice   
entirely.   
  
Please forgive your father and I for not telling you the truth sooner. We   
simply could never bring ourselves to do it. We have always loved you, and forever   
will continue to do so in heaven above. Never forget us, my darling daughter, for   
we shall never forget you.  
  
With all the love I have in my soul,  
  
Mother   
  
  
P.S. Should you want to make contact with your biological father, he is still the   
leader of the Viridian City Gym. His name is Giovanni. I love you.  
  
Ash finished reading the letter and looked at Brock. "Wow." he said, in a state of   
shock.  
  
Brock nodded. "Can imagine how this letter must have hit Misty?" he asked. "I   
wonder if her sisters know the truth or not."  
  
"I don't know." Ash scratched his head. Suddenly an idea struck him. "Brock,   
you used to be a gym leader. Did you ever know anything about this Giovanni guy?"  
  
Brock thought for a minute, and tried to remember what he knew about the other   
gym leaders. "Yeah", he replied finally. "He took over the Viridian City gym sometime   
ago. Their specialty is ground Pokemon, and the prize is an Earth badge. He's a really   
tough leader to beat."  
  
"Anything else?" Ash asked.  
  
"Well, a few rumors." Brock replied.  
  
"Like what?" Ash asked.  
  
"Well, that he has some super, ultra-rare Pokemon in the gym.... oh, the   
suspicion that he's connected to.... Oh, my God."  
  
Ash stared at Brock. "Connected to what?"  
  
"Team Rocket." Brock replied.  
  
Ash's mouth dropped. "If Misty's real father is Giovanni.... He must be   
connected to Team Rocket! No wonder she thought I wouldn't understand!"   
  
"Thing is, what do we do now?" Brock asked.   
  
"There's only one thing we can do." Ash replied, looking up. "Even if Misty has   
turned on us, I can't leave Pikachu. I have to get him back. We've got to go to Viridian   
City and get Pikachu back from Team Rocket- if it's not already too late."  
  
They picked up their packs, and started off in a new direction- the direction of   
Viridian City.  
  
Chapter Three: Misty's New Life  
  
Giovanni beamed proudly at his daughter. Here she was already with that Pikachu   
that Jessie and James had been trying to get for nearly a year. He could hardly believe it   
had been just a short week since he had met her face-to-face for the first time. Of course,   
he knew all about her from the letters from her mother and from the fact that he had had   
Team Rocket agents (albeit competent ones) maintaining a close surveillance on her for   
her whole life.   
  
He had watched her grow, occasionally in the shadow of her other sisters   
(sensational, indeed! How could they hold a candle to his own child?), and watched her   
skills as a trainer develop, especially in the area of water Pokemon. He knew all about   
the way she had been a gym leader, the way she raised her Starmie and Staryu to be   
strong fighters. He had been informed when a young trainer from Pallet wrecked her bike   
and she had chosen to follow him on his Pokemon journey, and was all too aware that it   
was this trainer who possessed that Pikachu those two numbskulls Jessie and James were   
always carrying on about.   
  
But despite knowing all this, he also felt that he couldn't meet her face to face   
until he knew that her mother, Hyacinth, was gone. He had hopes and plans for his   
daughter, and he knew her skills would be an asset to his organization. When he received   
the letter from Cerulean City, he knew what he had to do: He left two agents in charge of   
the gym (not Jessie and James of course.... Butch and Cassidy were so much more   
efficient) and traveled to Cerulean City in the hopes that her sisters might know of her   
whereabouts.   
  
Posing as simply a visiting gym leader who admired her skills, he was able to find   
out that the sisters were expecting Misty within a couple of days. How clearly he   
remembered those few days.....  
  
"Of course, we can tell you whatever you want to know about the gym." Daisy   
chimed in.   
  
"Oh, sure." Lily continued. "We've been running it for so long since she took off   
on her Pokemon journey."  
  
"Mmm-hmm" Violet agreed, twirling a lock of her hair.   
  
Annoyed with the so-called Sensational Sisters but not wanting to show it,   
Giovanni simply smiled and said that he really was quite tired from his trip. He went to a   
hotel in the city and stayed there, periodically making contact with the gym and various   
agents via his cell phone, and eagerly awaited the arrival of Misty.  
  
Two days later, he finally got his chance. Misty had arrived in town along with   
that trainer Ash from Pallet and that breeder Brock. He knew she was good friends with   
these two, and he wondered if he could get her to see his way, but he was banking that   
he could....   
  
Secretly, he had watched Violet give her sister the letter. Misty was alone when   
she had read it, and he could tell by the expression on her face that she had never   
suspected a thing. He watched her run out of the gym, telling Ash and Brock that she'd   
be back later. He then followed her to a local cafe, where she sat on the patio nursing a   
lemonade and staring sadly at the letter.   
  
Giovanni entered the cafe, and walked to her table. "Misty?" he asked her   
quietly. She looked up.  
  
"Ye- Yes?" she asked, startled.   
  
"Allow me to introduce myself, Misty. My name is Giovanni." he extended his   
hand to her. Misty had looked at him with a mixture of hate, apprehension, and utter   
disbelief. Her eyes welled with tears as she began to spoke.   
  
"You're my- my-" She began.  
  
"Your father. Yes." He said, sitting down in the seat across from her.   
  
Misty looked at him, utterly unsure of what to say. "Why didn't you ever contact   
me?" She asked.   
  
Giovanni looked at her closely. The truth was that he had never been quite sure   
how to handle her, how to deal with this daughter he had been unprepared to know   
about. That was why he had sent out agents to watch her at all times. It was much easier   
than dealing with her himself, after all. Besides, he was a busy man- Most gym leaders   
only have to worry about their gym, not an army of Pokemon thieves. Of course, he   
couldn't tell her that. "Well, I made a promise to Hyacinth- your mother- not to do that   
because of the way it could have affected your family" he lied.   
  
Misty mulled this over for a moment and then looked back up at Giovanni. "How   
much do you know about me, anyway? I'm your daughter, and what do you know?"   
  
Giovanni told her what he knew about her, her training, her friendship with Ash   
and Brock, her bike, her journey, and even her frustrations over her Psyduck. Misty was   
amazed. "How can you know all that and still have never met me?"   
  
Giovanni hesitated for a minute, and then said simply, "Er- I have my ways." He   
took Misty's hands in his and looked into her eyes, as if probing for her inner self. He   
knew he would have to choose his next words carefully. "Your father died when you   
were a baby, didn't he? I mean- the father you grew up knowing about."   
  
Again, tears filled the corners of Misty's eyes. "Yes." she replied, dabbing at her   
eyes.   
  
"It must have been hard growing up without him." Giovanni said, taking on his   
best concerned expression.   
  
"Well, I still had mom, and Violet, and Daisy, and Lily.... but it was hard at   
times...." Misty said, recalling how often she'd hear other little girls talk about their   
daddies and what they would do with their daddies that weekend. The voices still echoed   
in her mind, voices of other little girls, happy little girls.... "My Daddy's getting me a   
Butterfree.... it'll be so beautiful", "My Daddy's going to get me a set of Pokemon   
Princess dolls...", "My Daddy's going to let me watch his next match, I just know he'll   
win...." Giovanni's voice brought her back to the present.  
  
"That's why I'm here, Misty. To make sure you never have to go through that   
again. To make sure you have a father figure you can love, come to for guidance, and   
trust..... Isn't that what you want, Misty?" he looked at her, and knew he had his foot in   
the door.   
  
Misty looked at her father. She knew something didn't feel right, but she also   
knew that Giovanni was offering her what she had always wanted her whole life. More   
than anything, she had wanted a daddy. "Yes.... yes it is." She said, smiling at him. "It   
is what I want... Father."   
  
Giovanni smiled and stretched out his arms, offering her a hug. This was   
completely against Giovanni's grain, but he knew what had to be done to secure this.   
Misty ran to his side of the table and hugged him with big open arms. She smiled so much   
as she hugged him. Part of her life was there again. Giovanni smiled too, a smile that   
would have chilled a skeleton.   
  
When she sat down again, Giovanni looked at her and said, "Darling, I have to   
get back to my gym by tomorrow. I would be so happy if you could accompany me back   
there.... and join me at the gym."  
  
"Help you run the gym?" She said in amazement.  
  
"Well, sort of...." Giovanni said. "I have an area of the gym where your   
knowledge of Pokemon and your persistent personality would be quite the asset."  
  
"What do you mean?" Misty asked.  
  
Giovanni searched for the way to tell her the truth. "I run an elite organization   
which procures Pokemon for the gym... and for me to train."   
  
A sick feeling began in Misty's stomach. An elite organization that procures   
Pokemon? That almost sounds like.... She thought to herself. "What- What is it called?"   
she asked hesitantly.  
  
"You already know the name." Giovanni replied. "In fact, you know two   
members."  
  
Misty's sick feeling gave way to a feeling of apprehension coupled with outrage.   
"Who?" she asked, sure she already knew the answers.  
  
"Their names are Jessie and James." Giovanni said softly.  
  
Misty's eyes went wide. "Team Rocket? My father is in charge of Team   
Rocket?" For a second, all Misty could do was stare blankly at her father. "How could   
that be true? How could that possibly be true?"   
  
Giovanni looked back at her. This would be the really tricky part. "I know we   
might not appear to be completely reputable, but-" he began.  
  
"Reputable?!?!?!" Misty replied. "You steal Pokemon from their trainers- trainers   
who love and care about their Pokemon- and use them for God knows what!"  
  
"Misty, I assure you no Pokemon are ever mistreated by Team Rocket" Giovanni   
lied. "We care about our Pokemon- even if our methods of procuring them might go   
against tradition a bit."  
  
Misty stared at him. She couldn't believe her ears. She knew something about   
this wasn't right at all, but Giovanni seemed to be so convincing, so open.... No, she   
couldn't let her thinking get clouded. Not now.  
  
"What I want to know, Misty.... my daughter.... " Giovanni continued, "is will   
you join me?"  
  
"Join you?" Misty asked incredulously.  
  
"At the gym and in Team Rocket. It's a wonderful life. All the Pokemon you ever   
dreamed of, all loyal to you and you alone." Misty looked at Giovanni with confused,   
clouded eyes. Giovanni knew it was time to pull the ace from his sleeve. "And the father   
figure you missed from your life for so long.... I'm ready to love you in full and in   
person, Misty.... My sweet little girl." Giovanni sat back and waited with baited breath.   
He knew that if anything would pull her in, this would be it. he tried his best to keep his   
expression soft and caring, resisting the urge to break into his typical, cunning sneer.  
  
Misty looked down at her lemonade, and then back up at Giovanni. "I'm sorry,   
Dad-" She hesitated. "I mean, Fath-" Again, hesitation. "Giovanni." She said finally.   
"I just can't do it. Team Rocket goes against everything I believe in."  
  
Giovanni had been expecting this response. His face took on a sad, hurt   
expression. "I understand." He replied softly, as he started to stand up to leave. He   
sighed and continued, "It would have been wonderful.... you and I... father and   
daughter.... but I guess.... Well, you have to do what you feel is right. I won't bother   
you about it again." With that, Giovanni turned to leave.   
  
Misty looked at his back as a million emotions chugged through her like a runaway   
bullet train. "Wait... " she called.   
  
Giovanni stopped and smiled his most evil smile. Hiding it as best he could, he   
turned to face her. "Yes?" he asked quietly.  
  
"You swear that the Pokemon are not hurt?" she asked carefully, studying   
Giovanni's face.  
  
"Of course, my dear." Giovanni said in a silky voice.   
  
Misty wasn't sure what to do. Here was her father- her real father- and he was   
the head of the organization she had fought against on so many occasions! But if they   
really didn't hurt the Pokemon... Oh, Jessie and James could be rough at times, but   
maybe that really was just to obtain the Pokemon.... and how could she pass up the   
chance to finally have a daddy- her real daddy- and one she wouldn't have to share with   
Violet, Lily, or Daisy?   
  
Misty's emotions finally settled as she came to her decision. She looked up at   
  
Giovanni's dark deep eyes. "I'll do it, Fath- Daddy." she said as a single tear of   
happiness ran down her cheek.   
  
Giovanni smiled warmly as he opened his arms to her. She ran to him and hugged   
him tightly, burying her face in his Italian suit. When they sat down again, Giovanni said   
to her, "I was hoping you'd make this decision. I have a little present for you..." He   
reached down to the ground by his chair, where he had set a small shopping bag. He   
lifted the bag to the table and passed it to Misty. She reached inside and pulled out a   
neatly folded white piece of cloth. When she unfolded it, she realized what it was: a   
white sleeveless halter top with a bright red "R" stitched onto the front. The uniform of   
Team Rocket. She had seen it so many times on Jessie and James, but had never pictured   
wearing it herself. Strangely, it was more of a comfort than not, as she held it and   
looked at Giovanni. She smiled widely.   
  
"Thank you." she said finally, thanking him for everything from hope to   
acceptance. "So should I just come back to Viridian City with you, then?" she asked.  
  
"Well.... actually, there is a little matter that I would rather like your help in   
taking care of." Giovanni said.   
  
"What is it?"  
  
"It concerns that friend of yours... Ash Ketchum, I believe his name is?"   
  
"Yes?" Misty asked uneasily.  
  
"Well, Jessie and James have told me so much about that little Pikachu he has...   
quite the special fighter, isn't it?" he said, trying to select his words carefully.  
  
"Yes, he certainly is." Misty replied.   
  
"I'd love to have it join the gym." Giovanni stated. "But Jessie and James never   
seem to be able to obtain it" or any other useful Pokemon, he thought to himself.  
  
Misty looked at her father, wide eyed. "Well, I don't know if it's such a good   
idea to keep trying for it." She said. "Ash loves that Pikachu so much, it'd kill him to   
lose it."   
  
Again, Giovanni took her hands in his. "Oh, Misty, I know he must be attached   
to it, but it'd be so much better off with us... We can train it to be the best Pikachu it   
could be." Misty still looked at Giovanni with uncertainty in her eyes. "Besides, there's   
another reason...." Giovanni began.  
  
"What?" Misty asked.  
  
"Well, Jessie, James, and Meowth have been ordered by me to never harm you.   
They don't know why not, but they hold back a lot because of that. If you were gone,   
they could conceivably get a lot nastier with Ash and your other friend... Brock, right?"  
  
"Ye- Yes." Misty said. Suddenly, she had a horrible vision of Ash and Brock   
dying in a deserted forest after battling Team Rocket and losing because of them not   
holding back. Unable to deal with such a thought, she quickly forced it from her mind   
and knew what she had to do. "All right." she said finally. "I'll help you get Pikachu."   
Misty only hoped she could live with herself for betraying Ash, and wondered if even this   
new life would be worth it. Giovanni smiled at her again, and Misty smiled back, hiding   
the whirlwind of doubt flying through her mind.  
  
That had been a week ago. Now, Giovanni's daughter had returned home with   
Jessie and James, and had brought him the lightning mouse that had eluded capture for so   
very long. Jessie and James had broke into the office bursting with pride and excitement,   
probably not so much at the capture of Pikachu as the fact that they had actually done   
something right. Of course, the star of this act was Misty. Without her, such a victory   
would never have been possible.   
  
Misty now stood before her father, decked out in a full Team Rocket uniform   
that matched Jessie's: the thigh-high black boots, the short white skirt, the tight black   
shirt underneath the white top emblazoned with a big red "R", and of course the long   
black gloves that reached up above her elbows. He looked at her with pride. Finally, he   
had someone to carry on his legacy. At the moment, he was going on about how well she   
had done. Misty stood with her hands behind her back, listening with a smile on her face.  
  
"Such a good job. I can hardly believe that it all went so smoothly. You are a   
genius, Misty."   
  
Misty blushed. "Really, Daddy, it wasn't much." She said with a smile. She had   
been watching Pikachu's treatment since she had arrived, and so far he really was yet to   
be harmed. Perhaps Giovanni and Team Rocket really weren't so bad, after all. All   
things considered, she felt a lot better about herself knowing that it was true and that she   
finally had her life with a daddy. Giovanni continued on, praising her, and she continued   
to beam, feeling like star child she had always wanted to be. Slowly, though, thoughts   
entered her mind... thoughts of that trainer from Pallet and that breeder from Pewter City.   
Slowly, her eyes began to water slightly, and Giovanni's voice faded from her ears. She   
thought back on the times they had experienced together.... Ash and Pikachu meeting her   
for the first time when she rescued them with a fishing pole, the first Pokemon she had   
seen Ash catch, the time they had met Brock, the way they had journeyed together,   
laughed together, argued together... been there for each other. Giovanni noticed the   
look in her eyes, and stopped abruptly.   
  
"Is something wrong, Honey?" he asked, playing the doting father part to the   
hilt.   
  
"Oh, I was just- no, it's nothing." she said  
  
Giovanni knew she wasn't being honest. "Come on, Misty, it's OK... What's   
wrong?"  
  
"Well, I was just thinking about my friends... I kind of miss them."  
  
Giovanni looked at her. He was afraid of this. He sighed. "Oh, Misty.... I know   
you must miss them. But you have new friends now, a new life... aren't you happy   
here?"   
  
Misty looked at him and did her best to smile. "Oh, Daddy, of course I am."   
She hugged him. As she did, the intercom on Giovanni's desk buzzed. He let go of   
Misty and pressed the button.   
  
"Yes?"  
  
"Sir, Jessie and James are here to see you." came the voice from outside.   
Giovanni rolled his eyes.   
  
"All right. I'll be with them in a minute." He turned his attention back to Misty.   
  
"Now, Sweetie, daddy has some business to take care of. Why don't you run along and   
check out the rest of the gym?"   
  
Misty smiled broadly and turned to leave. "I love you, Daddy." she said as she   
reached the door.   
  
"I love you too, Honey." came Giovanni's reply. Misty stepped out, and Jessie   
and James came in happily. As soon as the door was closed, the smile faded from his   
face. "I swear, all this affection is going to make me sick." he said to himself. "Now   
what do you two lab rats want?" he snarled at Jessie and James.  
  
James looked a little confused, but replied to his boss, "Well, boss, you see, the   
thing is, uh-"  
  
Jessie broke in, "What James is trying to say, sir, is that with Pikachu captured,   
we're a little- well, bored. We're not sure what to do with ourselves anymore."  
  
Giovanni looked at them angrily. "Figure it out for yourselves. You're Team   
Rocket agents. What do Team Rocket agents do?"  
  
"Steal rare and valuable Pokemon" they replied in unison.  
  
"Exactly." Giovanni answered. "So what should you do now?"  
  
Jessie and James looked at their boss stupidly. "Ummmm...." James said.  
  
"Err..........." Jessie said.  
  
"YOU FIND SOME POKEMON TO STEAL, YOU MORONS!" Giovanni thundered.   
"Pikachu isn't the only valuable Pokemon in the world. Honestly, if you two   
were any thicker, I could use you for bullet proof armor!"  
  
Jessie and James looked hurt and upset. "Well, yeah, but...we were kind of   
hoping that... uhm..." Jessie began.  
  
"That what? Giovanni said, annoyed.  
  
"Well, that we could get promoted for catching Pikachu?" Jessie continued   
humbly.  
  
"You never would have caught Pikachu without Misty's help!" Giovanni replied   
angrily.   
  
"umm... I know, but..."   
  
"I don't have time for this." Giovanni said, dismissing them both with a wave of   
his hand. "Now get going."  
  
Jessie and James stood there for a second, and then turned to leave without a   
word. Once they were gone, Giovanni picked up his phone and called down to the lower   
levels of the gym, where Team Rocket agents were working on the captured Pokemon.   
His chief scientist answered the phone. "Evans."  
  
"Evans, this is Giovanni. Has my daughter been down there to check on that   
Pikachu lately?"  
  
"No, sir, it seems like she's satisfied that he's being treated well." Evans replied.  
  
"Good." Giovanni smiled. "Then we can begin. Start probing it's mind for what   
we need."  
  
"Yes, sir." Evans replied. he hung up the phone and turned to the habitat that   
had been set up for the Pikachu. He put thick rubber gloves on, and reached in to scoop   
up Pikachu. "All right, my little friend," Evans began coldly, "You're first class   
accommodations have expired. Time to move to somewhere else..." He carried Pikachu   
over towards a large metal and glass machine. Sensing something wrong, Pikachu started   
to get nervous.   
  
"Pika... Pika Pika..." He started to squeal. Sparks were just starting to fly from   
his cheeks as Evans dropped him into a glass chamber and flipped a switch marked   
"Seal/Insulate". The thundershock shot forth from Pikachu and blasted harmlessly against   
the glass. "Pika!" he screamed.   
  
"That's it, you little rodent" said Evans darkly. "Tire yourself out. It'll only   
make my job all the easier...." he turned to walk away and leave Pikachu on his own to   
continue to throw out thunder shocks, knowing that the machine wouldn't be affected in   
the least by the blasts.  
  
Chapter Four: The Battle for Pikachu  
  
The red Jeep pulled to a halt outside the Viridian City gym. Inside, two Pokemon   
trainers named Jenni and Allan turned to face their passengers. "This is the place, Ash."   
Allan said as Ash grabbed his backpack.   
  
"Thanks a lot for the lift." Ash replied. He and Brock had had been walking for a   
solid day when they happened to meet these two trainers on their own journey. After   
sharing a picnic lunch, they had found out that Jenni and Allan were on their way to Pallet   
to meet Professor Oak, and to have him take a look at Jenni's Eevee, which had some   
strange markings unlike any they had seen before. Of course, the trip to Pallet would   
take them straight through Viridian City, and Jenni had offered to give them a ride. Ash   
had agreed, knowing it would be much quicker to accept than to try to walk. Brock had   
agreed very happily too- although it seemed that his gratitude was spurred more by the   
fact that he'd get to stare at Jenni some more than by the issue of time they would save.   
In fact, that's just what he was doing at that moment.  
  
"Yeah... thanks for the ride...." He babbled through a large goofy smile. Turning   
beet red, he once again asked for Jenni's number, to keep in touch. For about the   
millionth time, Jenni simply laughed and told him that she was sure they'd meet sometime   
again in the future. Ash walked around to the side of the Jeep, and Jenni leaned down to   
whisper in his ear, "Is he always this bad?"  
  
Ash smiled. "No. Usually he's worse."  
  
Jenni laughed, and the jeep drove away toward Pallet Town. Brock stared   
dreamily after the jeep. "Wasn't she great?" he asked.  
  
"Sure, sure. Now come on, Romeo. We're here for a reason." Ash said,   
slapping Brock on the head. Brock snapped back to reality and looked at the large   
building before them. Ash started up the stairs. Two burly guards holding axes blocked   
the door.   
  
"What do you want?" the first guard grunted threateningly.  
  
"I am Ash Ketchum from Pallet, and I have business with the leader of this gym."   
Ash said boldly.   
  
The guard sneered. "Our gym leader is too busy to deal with anyone unless you   
want to challenge him to a battle."   
  
"If that's what it will take, then I challenge him!" Ash stated.  
  
The guards chuckled, and parted to let Ash and Brock pass. "Hope you have a   
will made out, kid." one guard called as they entered the foyer and walked to the gym   
doors. As he entered the gym, lights snapped on with a loud click. From over a   
loudspeaker came Giovanni's voice.   
  
"Who comes to challenge me?" he roared.  
  
Ash was a bit unsettled by this, but he continued anyway. "I am Ash Ketchum   
from Pallet Town, and I demand a Pokemon battle!"  
  
A door slid open at the far end of the gym, and Giovanni entered wearing his   
usual Armani suit. "You? Ha! Better hurry home, little boy. You'll get hurt here."  
  
Ash glared at Giovanni. "I don't think so. Are you going to battle or not?"  
  
Giovanni smirked. What hope did Ash have without his Pikachu? "Fine." he   
replied. "One Pokemon each."  
  
"Agreed." Ash said angrily.  
  
"Then choose your Pokemon now. I don't have all day." Giovanni said smugly.  
  
Ash turned the bill of his cap around, and said loudly, "Pikachu, I choo- uh... I   
mean, Charmander, I choose you!" Ash quickly grabbed Charmander's Pokeball off his   
belt and threw it into the arena.   
  
"Char!" Charmander yelled as he materialized out of the ball.  
  
Giovanni simply smirked. "And I choose.... my super Pokemon!" The smoking   
form of Mewtwo lowered from the ceiling, its eyes glowing a bright blue.  
  
Ash went wide-eyed. "What the heck is that?" he asked, pointing Dexter at the   
Pokemon.   
  
"No data available" Dexter stated.   
  
"Oh, great." Ash muttered. "Um... Charmander, Flame-thrower!"   
  
"Char!" Charmander squealed as the spit out a trail of fire. The fire simply hit   
Mewtwo with no effect at all. Ash was dumbfounded.  
  
"Oh, please." Giovanni sneered. "Pokemon, attack!" Mewtwo's eyes glowed   
malevolently as it floated toward Charmander with a psychic maneuver. Suddenly, the   
usually brave Charmander screamed, and turned tail to run back to Ash   
  
"Ugh... Charmander, return." Ash said as he held out Charmander's Pokeball.   
Charmander was all too happy to jump back in.   
  
"Do you forfeit?!?!?" Giovanni yelled.  
  
Glaring at him, Ash finally nodded. "I don't have anything strong enough to fight   
that Pokemon."  
  
"Then get out and be on your way." Giovanni turned to leave.   
  
"Of course, I might have a super Pokemon too, if I were in charge of Team   
Rocket." Ash blurted.  
  
Giovanni froze. He turned around slowly, staring angrily at Ash, who didn't   
budge an inch. "What did you just say?" he demanded.  
  
"You heard me." Ash said smugly. "And I know all about Misty too. You don't   
really think she'll stay with you, do you?"  
  
"Actually, yes, I do." said Giovanni smugly. "What little girl would leave her   
dear old Daddy?"  
  
Ash looked at Giovanni with eyes full of hate. "I know you don't care about her!   
You're just using her to get Pikachu- who I'm taking back now!"  
  
"So you know the truth, eh? Well, it doesn't make a difference." Giovanni   
replied. He reached over to the wall and hit a large red button. A shrill alarm sounded,   
and the doors to the foyer slammed shut. Butch and Cassidy stormed into the gym   
wearing their black Team Rocket uniforms.  
  
Giovanni pointed at Ash and Brock. "Take them down to the holding cells!" He   
ordered.  
  
"Right." Butch replied in his raspy voice. He grabbed Brock, and Cassidy   
charged at Ash. Brock and Ash tried to resist, but Butch and Cassidy grabbed small   
tube-shaped devices off their belts and pressed them against Brock and Ash's arms. A   
powerful knockout drug shot through their arms and they crumpled to the ground.   
  
Butch and Cassidy laughed as they started to drag them back. Suddenly, an evil   
smile crept onto Giovanni's face. He picked up a phone by the door. "Have my daughter   
sent to my office at once. Tell her Daddy needs a favor...." He laughed darkly as he   
walked back to his office.  
  
He arrived at his office a few minutes before Misty. Quickly, he loosened his tie   
and mussed his normally perfect hair. He sat down, and pretended to be out of breath   
when Misty walked in. Misty saw her father looking disheveled, and ran quickly to his   
side. "Daddy! What happened?" she asked, obviously very concerned.  
  
Giovanni acted as if it hurt to talk or move. "Oh, Misty...." he began in a pathetic   
voice. "Your old friends arrived at the gym... they tried to challenge me to a battle.... of   
course I knew they'd only get hurt, so I tried to refuse, but then that Ash just ordered his   
Charmander to attack me. He kept screaming that he was going to take you and Pikachu   
away... Oh, God, please don't go away..." He started to sob into his hands.   
  
Misty looked at Giovanni, who was sobbing on the desk. "Oh, Daddy... she said   
sadly, overcome with pity for her father. "What happened to them?"   
  
"They were so crazed, so intent.... I had to have Butch and Cassidy sedate them   
and put them down in the holding cells. Misty, I need to ask a favor of you... can you   
please watch them for me? I need Butch and Cassidy elsewhere." He looked at his   
daughter, his eyes puffy with fake tears.  
  
Misty smiled at her father. "Of course, Daddy.... I'll get down there right away."   
With that, she turned and walked out of the office to head down to the holding cells.   
  
Giovanni smiled as she left. If anything would prove her loyalty, this would.  
  
A few minutes later, Misty arrived at the holding cells in one of the basement   
levels and relieved Butch and Cassidy, telling them that Giovanni said he needed them for   
something else. Butch shrugged, and started to walk off. Cassidy looked at Misty, and   
said, "Should be a while before they wake up, Hun. You got your Pokemon on you just   
in case?" Misty nodded and patted her belt, where a single Pokeball containing a nasty   
Beedrill hung. Cassidy pointed to the corner. "All right." she said. "There's their stuff."   
Misty looked at the corner and saw Ash and Brock's back packs- and her own. He   
mouth dropped slightly, but she quickly recovered. She nodded at Cassidy, who turned   
to leave.   
  
As soon as they were gone, Misty looked into the cell at Ash and Brock and   
shook her head. "Oh, guys, I know you miss Pikachu, but how could you attack my   
father?" She sighed, and suddenly remembered her back pack was stacked in the corner   
with the others. She walked over, and opened it. Inside, she saw a set of her old   
clothes- her shorts, suspenders, and yellow halter top. She smiled fondly as she held   
them. She then began to go through the other items in her backpack- there were the   
photos of her sisters and her mother.... there, the letter that had started it all... and her   
Pokeballs! She smiled happily as she pulled out her Pokeballs and released her faithful   
Pokemon one by one. It was like seeing old friends again- friends who wouldn't turn on   
her or attack her father. She was even happy to see Psyduck again, who scampered   
around the holding cells muttering, "Psy.... Psy.... Psy...."  
  
It was then that she noticed that Ash and Brock were starting to stir. Quickly, she   
recalled her Pokemon and threw the balls back into her backpack.   
  
"Uhhhh...... what happened?" Ash asked as he sat up and looked around. He   
realized he was in a detention cell, and for a second, he thought Giovanni had had them   
thrown into jail. That's when he turned around and saw Misty standing guard in full Team   
Rocket uniform. Startled, he took a leap back, falling over Brock in the process, who   
was also just starting to come to. Ash and Brock looked at Misty, who looked back at   
them coldly.   
  
"Well, well, well, if it isn't the traitor." Ash said spitefully.   
  
Brock nodded. "I guess she just can't see the forest for the trees." he said.  
  
Misty glared angrily at Ash. "I had to leave. I knew you wouldn't understand."  
  
Ash stared straight back. "You may have had to leave, but you didn't have to sell   
us out and let Team Rocket get away with Pikachu!"  
  
"I did it to protect you!" Misty snapped. "Without me there to hold them back,   
Team Rocket could have gotten a lot nastier. You could have been hurt!"  
  
"And what do you think is happening to Pikachu right now?" Ash snapped right   
back. "Who knows what they're doing to him!"   
  
For your information, Ash," Misty growled, "Team Rocket has been treating   
Pikachu very well. I made sure of that."  
  
"Misty, are you blind?" Brock said, stepping into the conversation. "Team   
Rocket is evil. They steal Pokemon, only to use them for their own gain!"   
  
"You're wrong!" Misty screamed. "My father isn't mistreating any Pokemon!"  
  
"Oh, your father?" Ash said icily. "You mean the great gym leader who threw us   
down here because we know he's the head of Team Rocket?"  
  
"Nice try, Ash. I know he threw you down here because you attacked him   
without reason!" Misty yelled.  
  
"What are you talking about?" Brock asked, dumbfounded.  
  
"You know exactly what I'm talking about! You had Charmander attack him   
when he was totally defenseless!"  
  
"Did he tell you that?" Brock asked. "Misty, you should know Ash better than   
that. He doesn't use his Pokemon to settle personal matters."  
  
"And I'd never have a Pokemon attack a person without a reason." Ash said.   
"Now come on. You have to let us out of here. We have to save Pikachu and get out of   
here!"  
  
"No!" cried Misty. She yanked the Pokeball off of her belt. "Pokeball, g...." she   
started to say. Suddenly, a flash of light appeared out of her back pack and Psyduck   
materialized in front of her. "Aaaaaarrrrggghhh!" she screamed in frustration.   
  
Psyduck waddled up to her. "Psy? Psy-duck? Psy? Duck? Duck?" it said.  
  
Suddenly, Misty sank to her knees, overcome by frustration and the way she   
missed her old life. She began to cry in big sobs. Psyduck waddled up to her and patted   
her on the back.  
  
Quietly, Ash said to her, "Please, Misty. We need to get out of here. I need to   
get Pikachu back. He's being mistreated, I know it."  
  
"No, no, no...." Misty sobbed, not wanting to believe it. "My- my father   
promised.... I made sure when we got back...."  
  
"Misty.... If I'm wrong.... We'll leave... and you can stay and keep Pikachu."   
Ash said.  
  
"What? Ash, no..." Brock began.  
  
"Yes, Brock.... If Pikachu really isn't being mistreated, I'll leave him here with   
Misty and we'll go." He looked at Misty. "Does that prove to you that I'm serious?"  
  
Misty looked at Ash with teary eyes. "All right, Ash." She reached for the keys   
and opened the cell. "Let's go." They started to walk out of the cells and towards the   
elevator to take them to the Pokemon area where Pikachu was being kept.   
  
Meanwhile, Giovanni was watching them on a monitor. His hand clenched into a   
tight fist as he watched.  
  
Chapter Five: The Truth  
  
Misty led the way down to the Pokemon area where Pikachu was being held. The   
lab was closed for the day, and Evans had already gone home. Misty turned on the light   
switch and led the way into the lab, walking toward the habitat that had been created for   
Pikachu. "It's right up here." Misty said. She had been telling them all about the habitat   
that had been built for Pikachu. Ash agreed that it sounded great.... almost too good to be   
true. Misty and the others looked into the empty habitat. "I don't understand... He   
should be right here..." she said.   
  
Ash suddenly looked up, and started walking towards a hallway. "Ash, where are   
you going?" Misty called.  
  
"Just follow me... I feel something...." Ash said as he walked. Misty and Brock   
followed him, wondering what force could be driving him. When Ash reached the other   
end of the hallway, He realized what had been driving him... It was Pikachu. He was   
sitting in a glass chamber, his head and ears drooped, barely able to keep his eyes open.   
Ash gasped. "Pikachu!" he cried, running to the machine. Misty's mouth dropped, and   
tears streamed from her eyes.   
  
"Oh, no.... what have I done? What have I let happen?" Misty cried.  
  
"What is that machine?" Brock asked.   
  
"I don't know." Misty sobbed.   
  
Ash looked at a monitor in the machine, and saw what looked like an out line of   
Pikachu with beams and little lightning bolts running through it. He didn't know what the   
machine was doing, but he could tell it wasn't good. "Oh, Pikachu..... We've got to get   
him out, Misty!"  
  
Misty ran forward, tears still streaming from her eyes. "Of course.... I'm so   
sorry, Ash.... I had no idea..."  
  
"I know." Ash replied, studying the machine for a release of some kind.   
Suddenly, he spotted the "Seal/Insulate" switch and flipped it down. The machine   
hummed slightly, and Pikachu's chamber opened. The tired Pokemon fell out to the floor   
in a heap. Ash picked him up and held him in his arms. "Oh, Pikachu.... are you going to   
be OK?"  
  
Pikachu looked up at Ash and smiled weakly. "Chuuu....." he said quietly. Ash   
hugged Pikachu close and cried a tear of joy. Pikachu seemed to be doing better with   
every second.   
  
Misty leaned down and looked at Pikachu. "Oh, Pikachu, I'm so sorry... I never   
meant for you to be hurt." Weakly, Pikachu smiled at her.   
  
"We've got to get out of here." Misty said. "Oh, I can't believe I believed   
everything Giovanni told me..."  
  
"Come on", said Brock. He started to lead the way out.   
  
"Hold it!" said a familiar voice from the other side of the hallway.  
  
"Oh, no...." Misty whispered.  
  
"I knew you couldn't be trusted, you naughty little girl...." came Jessie's voice.  
  
As they moved down the hall, Jessie and James recited their motto with more   
venom in their voices than ever.  
  
"To protect the world from devastation..."  
  
"To unite all peoples within our nation....."  
  
"To denounce the evils of truth and love....."  
  
"To extend our reach to the stars above....."  
  
"Jessie!"  
  
"James!"   
  
"Team Rocket- blast off at the speed of light!  
  
"Surrender now or prepare to fight!"  
  
"Meowth! That's right!" Meowth snarled.  
  
They came into full view now. "Helping prisoners escape... showing them the   
lab... all unforgivable." Jessie smirked.  
  
"And when we catch you and bring you up to the boss, we'll be promoted for   
sure!" said James excitedly.  
  
"And I'll be top cat around here.... not that stinkin' Persian!" Meowth grinned.  
  
Ash grabbed for a Pokeball. "Not this time, Team Rocket...." he began, when he   
suddenly realized his Pokeballs were gone! They had been thrown in his back pack and he   
didn't have time to go digging for them now!  
  
Misty's mouth dropped open. Quickly, she reached into her own back pack,   
which she had grabbed when they had left the cell, and blindly grabbed two Pokeballs.   
She could only pray they were the right ones. "Pokeballs, go!" she cried as she threw   
them. Sure enough, Starmie and Staryu appeared before her.   
  
"Two Pokemon at once?" James said, dumbfounded. "But that's not fair!"  
  
"Team Rocket agents don't play fair, remember?" Misty snapped. Before Jessie   
and James could react, She yelled out, "Starmie, Staryu, water gun attack now!"   
Starmie and Staryu both shot a powerful stream of water at Jessie and James, causing   
them to be lifted off their feet and hurled back down the hallway.  
  
"Looks like Team Rocket is being washed away again!" they cried in unison as   
they flew down the hallway, finally hitting the wall and being knocked unconscious.   
Misty, Starmie, and Staryu turned to face Meowth. "Want a drink, kitty?" she grinned.   
  
"Aaaaaahhhh! I hate water!" Meowth wailed as he ran away down the hall.  
  
Smiling, Misty recalled her Pokemon.   
  
"Nice work, Misty." Ash said as they continued walking.   
  
"Pikachu." said Pikachu, recovering and doing much better.  
  
"Thanks." Misty replied. They reached the elevator and climbed in. Misty hit the   
button marked "Gym" and the elevator started up the shaft. "When we get out, it'll just   
be a straight shot out of the gym." she said. "You know, I'll be glad to go, but I'm   
going to miss having a daddy.... even if he was a bad one."  
  
Ash patted her on the back. "Well, Misty, at least you've still got us, right?"  
  
Misty smiled at her friends. "Yeah. Yeah, I do" She hugged Brock and Ash   
tightly as the elevator came to a stop and the doors opened. The gym was dark and   
deserted. They ran through the large open arena and came to the foyer. Ahead of them,   
the door was wide open. Not a thing was blocking their escape..... except for the large   
silhouette of Giovanni in the doorway.  
  
Chapter Six - The Final Word  
  
"Misty.... Whatever are you doing?" Giovanni asked smoothly as the trio   
approached.   
  
"Out of the way, Father." Misty replied. "You lied to me. You never cared, did   
you?"  
  
"Ungrateful little whelp!" Giovanni roared. "I took you in... gave you the father   
you never had.... loved you... and for what?"  
  
"To help you!" Misty screamed back. "Well, I'm not going to fall for it anymore,   
Daddy. Ash never attacked you, did he? You never had any intention of helping   
Pikachu, did you? You never even cared about me.... only about how I'd be an asset to   
Team Rocket!"  
  
"That's it, Misty!" Giovanni thundered. "You are not leaving! You can never   
quit Team Rocket!"  
  
Misty looked down angrily. "You're absolutely right. I wouldn't leave without   
giving you this back!" She grabbed the Pokeball from her belt and threw it into the air.   
"Beedrill, go!"   
  
"Beeeeeeeeeedriiiiiiiiiiiiiiiilllllllll!" the Pokemon buzzed shrilly.   
  
"Beedrill! Attack!" Misty yelled, pointing at Giovanni.   
  
The large bee-like Pokemon immediately swept down at Giovanni, who started to   
run in fear, shouting counter orders. Misty led Ash and Brock toward the door.  
  
When they reached it, Misty looked back sadly, and raised the Pokeball up.   
"Beedrill, return." She said softly. Beedrill disappeared into the Pokeball with a flash of   
light. Giovanni, who had been hiding behind a pillar, came out in time to catch the   
Pokeball as Misty tossed it back to him.   
  
"Beedrill isn't my style at all anyway." she said softly to Giovanni.   
  
Giovanni screamed angrily at her as she left, "I HAVE NO DAUGHTER!!!"  
  
Misty turned back and looked at Giovanni. "It's just as well." she said. "My   
Daddy died years ago, when I was only two."  
  
She, Brock and Ash walked out and down the steps, into the night of Viridian   
City.  
  
"Ash, I'm so sorry about what happened to everything..... especially Pikachu. I   
guess I was just so desperate to have a daddy in my life again that I'd believe anything."   
Misty said when they had walked a distance.   
  
"It's all right." Ash replied, smiling at her.   
  
Up in the distance, they saw the light of an all-night bakery. "Can we stop in for a   
minute?" Misty asked.   
  
"Sure." Brock nodded. They walked into the bakery, and walked up to the   
counter while Misty ducked into the bathroom. When she emerged, she was dressed in   
her old outfit once again... the white sneakers, the yellow halter top, the red suspenders,   
the blue cut offs. Slung over one shoulder was her back pack, and tucked under one arm   
was her Team Rocket uniform. She walked up to where Ash and Brock were sitting, and   
joined them in eating the donuts Brock had just bought.   
  
Fifteen minutes later, they walked out of the bakery, and started walking toward   
the forest. Misty stopped near a garbage can on the corner.   
  
"I guess I won't be needing this." She said as she stuffed the uniform into the   
garbage can. The sun was just starting to rise in the east as they walked on toward the   
forest, and Misty walked with a smile on her face again, knowing full well that she   
wasn't with her friends.... she was with her family.... all the family she would ever need.  
  
The sun rose to greet a new day, a new adventure, and a single ray of sunlight   
lingered on the bright red "R" emblazoned on the shirt sticking out of the garbage can.  
  
THE END  
  



End file.
